File Type (File>Load GPX/LOC)
This box enables you to select the file type that you want to load into GSAK. By far the most common file type (and GSAK default) is the GPX file format - especially from Geocaching.com
GPX/LOC (including inside zip)
Select this format to load Groundspeak Pocket Queries, LOC files, and any other GPX files. ZIP files are also supported (but they must contain GPX/LOC files). This is the most common file type to load into GSAK. Pocket Queries from Geocaching.com are usually the best source of bulk data for GSAK.
Text (with first line field structure)
This option will allow you load plain text files that are tab or comma separated. When comma separated, each field can be optionally enclosed in double quotes.
The first line of the text file must contain the comma or tab delimited list of field names for the following data. Field names may be in any order and not all are required. However as a bare minimum you should include code,description,latitude,longitude:
Archived - Archive status (boolean)
CacheID - Unique cache id
CacheType - A one character string representing the cache type (more information)
Code - Unique waypoint code
Container - Container size
County - County name
Country - Country name
Difficulty - Difficulty (1.0 to 5.0, with .5 increments)
DNF - DNF status (boolean)
DNFDate - Date of DNF
Found - Found status (boolean)
FoundByMeDate - Found date (by you)
FTF - First to find (boolean)
Hints - Hints
Latitude - Waypoint latitude, all GSAK formats are supported, but must be WGS84 datum
Lock - Lock status (boolean)
LongDescription - Cache long description
LongHtm - Long description contains HTML (boolean)
Longitude - Waypoint longitude, all GSAK formats are supported, but must be WGS84 datum
MacroSort - Internal macro sort column
Description - Waypoint name
OwnerId - ID (usually a number) of the owner of this cache
OwnerName - Owner name
PlacedBy - Name of the cache placer/hider
PlacedDate - Date the cache was placed/hidden
ShortDescription - Cache short description
ShortHtm - Short description contains HTML code (boolean)
State - State/Province name of the waypoint
Symbol - Symbol name for this waypoint
TempDisabled - Tempdisabled status (boolean)
Terrain - Terrain (1.0 to 5.0, with .5 increments)
Url - Waypoint URL
UserData - User data
User2 - User data 2
User3 - User data 3
User4 - User data 4
UserNote - User Note
UserSort - User sort
Watch - Watch status (boolean)
Note: There is often confusion in terminology with different software with the fields Code,Waypoint name, and description. Pay special attention to the "Description" field (GSAK Waypoint name) and the alias "name" for "code". The main reason for this is to keep the text import compatible with GPSBabel (it equates "Name" with GSAK "Code", and "desc" with GSAK "Waypoint Name") It may not be immediately obvious, but going with this compatibility indirectly allows you to load hundreds of formats into GSAK. Just use GPSBabel to convert your required file format to UNICSV. This will generate a csv file with all the correct headings that can then be loaded into GSAK (without change)
For more information on these fields see database variables
Tolerance has also been added to the recognized field names and many have aliases:
Longitude,lon,x
Latitude,lat,y
placeddate,date
description,desc
code,name
cacheid,gcid
placedby,placer
ownerid,placer_id
cachetype,type
difficulty,diff
terrain,ter
hints,hint
Tolerance has also been allowed for some of the field contents:
Boolean fields - Any of the following values are considered "True" (not case sensitive). True,Yes,T,Y,1. Anything else will be considered "False"
Date fields - Must be in the form YYYYMMDD but can also include (or not) any separator (YYYY-MM-DD or YYYY.MM.DD for example). A special exception has been added for American dates, so you can enter them as MM/DD/YYYY
For example, the following is a simple csv file to add a basic waypoint with a user note:
Code,lat,lon,description,usernote AA1001,S 32° 15.000,E 115° 12.000,Favorite fishing spot,Great spot for skippy |
Lowrance USR
This option will allow you to load waypoints that are in the Lowrance USR format